Method of and apparatus for distilling hydrocarbons.



H. A. FRASCH. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DlSTlLLlNG HYDROCARBONS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. 1915 1,212,620. Patented Jan. 16,1917,

' Unrrnn s ra'rns PATENT orrron- HANS A. muses, on NEW YORK, N. Y.'

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING HYDROCARBONS.

Specification of Letterslatent.

Application filed April 16, 1915. Serial No. 21,655.

lower boiling point from substances of,

heavier specific gravity and higher boiling point, and the invention has special reference to the manufacture of gasolene and the Y other lighter products from petroleum.

The separation of the lighter products I from petroleum has been prevlously eifected by heating the substanceunder pressure of gas or vapor to the point of disassociation, and consequent condensation of the overheated vapors, an operation technically known as cracking the oil. The high pressure called for by this method and the maintenance of a uniform pressure and temperature make the process dangerous and uncertain in results.

The object of the present invention is to provide for the control of the temperature, a differential adjustment of pressure between the point of admission of the substance to be treated and the point of condensation, and also the length of time during which the substance to be treated is exposed to the desired temperature and pressure.

Broadly stated, the invention consists in charging the substance to betreated into a retort which is immersed in a bath of molten material contained in a distilling vessel and maintained at a temperature sufficiently high to efiect within the retort the volatilization or disassociation of the substance under treatment, the resultlng vapors accumulating in the retort subsequently .escaping from the retort together with the residue the. receiving tank and passing through the molten material into the distilling vessel and therein continuing the sure, and finally condensing the vapor.

Without thereby limiting the invention in its application to any one particular sub stance,

I will explain the invention as a plied to the distillation of mineral ,oils to obtain products of relatively llght specific preferred construction,

tending fromit into a operation under reduced pres retort is proportionally gravity and low boiling point, and with an increased yield. Y

Any carrying out the in theaccompanying drawings hereof in Figure forming part 1 a distilling apparatus of in and by which the process of the invention may be efliciently and economically practised, and in Fig. 2 a similar view of another form of apparatus showing a plurality of retorts arranged in a connected series of distilling vessels.

The vessel 1 preferably is provided with a pocketed bottom'which is adapted to contain the molten substance, and within this vessel is mounted'one or more retorts 2, the discharge end of whichis submerged in the molten material. The retort 2 is connected at its top by a pipe3 with a pump 4 which is connected with-the supply of material to be treated. The pipe receive the vapor resulting from distilla-.

tion in theretort and vessel 1. The upper portion of this vapor chamber is connected by pipe 6 with the condenser 7, and the condenser 7 opens into a reservoir 8. The lower portion of the vessel 1 above the level of the molten substance therein,-has a pipe 9 exreceptacle 10, whereby any unconverted residue may be withdrawn from the vessel 1 from time to. time or continuously into thereceptacle 10,- and may be returned to the feed pipe and back into the retort.

11 is an equalizing pipe connecting the vessel 1 and receptacle 10 at their t0ps.i

The vapor chamber or the condenserand may be kept under vacuum, or under atmospheric or any desired pressure, while the pressure existing. in the largerin accordance with the specific gravity of the heating medium and the depth to which theretort is immersed or submerged in such medium,

which serves as a difierential of the pressure in the retort and the surrounding vapor atented-Jeane, 191v.

suitable apparatus may be used in method, but I have shown 3 preferably has a check valve 5 operating to prevent reflux molten material chamber, while the temperature of the heating medium ad usts the temperature required for the operation.

The vessel or still body 1 may be of any shape, width or'capacity, and of any suitable material, and provided with the necessary adjuncts and accessories for ascertaining the condition of its contents.

Some substances may require a higher temperature for their distillation or disassociation than just that at which the material of the bath melts, and in such case whatever is used as the melted substance should be capable of standing higher heat without chemical change and without serving as a reagent, excepting in so far as such change or reaction may be desired or necessary, in which case the reagent may be added ,to the melted substance or introduced with the oil to be treated.

The hydrocarbon to be treated may be supplied in liquid form or in vapor derived therefrom, and the bath may be of lead or other metal, alloy'or substance the melting point of which is at or above the temperature of disassociation of the hydrocarbon to be treated, and whichdoes'not chemically affect or react with the hydrocarbon excepting as already stated. The hydrocarbon is supplied to the retort after the material of the bath has been melted, and while the vessel 1 is heated, so as to maintain the bath in a fluid state, and the resulting vapor escapes from the retort through the molten material and into the vapor chamber whence ultimately it passes through pipe 6 into the condenser 7, and the condensate is then collected in the receptacle 8. The function of the retort 2 is two-fold, namely, first, exposing the substance under treatment to a temperature of volatilization or decomposition, and second, accumulating and thereby compressing the resulting vapor to a desired degree and maintaining same at the existing pressure and temperature during any desired period before finally forcing the vapors and. residue through the' heating medium into the distilling vessel 1 and wherein the operation is continued or completed under reduced pressure. .Any residue collecting above the bath may be withdrawn from the vessel 1 through the pipe 9 and into the tank 10 and thence returned to the supply, and this may be continued as long as the residue yields any of the lighter products desired.

It will be Observed that the material to be treated is fed into the retort under pressure, and as already stated, this pressure may be supplied by a pump or other su tab e means.

7 applied to the production While I have, described my invention as of the lighter products of mineral oils, it isto be understood that it may be used fpr/the treatment of hydrocarbons generally, such as petro leum, coal-tar, asphaltum, and similar mineral oils or pitch, and turpentine, alcohols, glycerin and other substances that may be distilled, cracked, refined or rectified. So also, the lead bath may be replaced for some purposes by calcium chlorid or zinc chlorid or other suitable relatively dense substance whose melting point and boiling point will admit its use for the purpose indicated.

lVha-t- I claim is 1. The method of distilling hydrocarbons, which consists in exposing the hydrocarbons to the temperature of volatilization while confined within a retort which is arranged within a distilling apparatus containing an internal heating medium fluid in character and maintained at the necessary temperature to effect volatilization of the hydrocarbons without itself being volatilized, said retort being immersed into and its outlet being sealed by the fluid heating medium, accumulating the resulting vapor in the retort until a desired pressure is obtained, and then passing the vapor together with the nonvolatilized residue through the immersed outlet of the retort and through the body of the heating medium into the body of the distilling apparatus, and subsequently condensing the vapor.

The method of distilling hydrocarbons,

with'the nonvolatilized residue through the 11C immersed outlet of the retort and through the body of the heating medium into the body of the distilling apparatus and therein continuing the operation under reduced pressure, and subsequently condensing the vapor.

. 3. The method of converting hydrocarbons of heavier specific gravity and higher boiling point into products of lighter specific gravity and lower boiling point, which consists in exposing the heavy hydrocarbons while confined within a retort arranged within a distilling apparatus to the temperature of decomposition by means of an internal heating medium consisting of a fusible substance in which the discharge end of the retort is immersed and having a melting point high enough to decompose the hy drocarbon, applying heat to the distilling apparatus to bring the heating medium into lOt a molten state and to a temperature high enough to decompose the hydrocarbon, and

'by the pressure of the vapor within the retort forcing the resulting 'vapor together with the nonvolatilized residue from the retort and through the body of the molten heating medium into the distilling apparatus, and subsequently condensing the vapor.

4. In the method of distilling hydrocarbons in a retort within a distilling apparatus by means of a fluid heating medium, t 1e step of resisting the escape of the "apor from the retort by immersing its outlet in the fluid heating medium and by the depth of such immersion obtaining any desired difference of pressure within the retort and the distilling vessel.

5. An apparatus for distilling hydrocarbons, having a distilling vessel containing a fluid heating agent, and a retort containing the hydrocarbon tobe distilled, said retort exposed to the ing vessel and having its outlet submerged in said fluid heating agent and discharging submerged,

heat within said distill its contents into said distilling vessel through the heating agent as said contents arevvolatilized therein.

6. An apparatus for distilling hydrocar-' bons, consisting of a distilling vessel containing one ormore retorts into which the substance to be distilled is fed, a fluid heating agent contained i the distilling vessel and supplying heat to the retort 0r retorts and into which the outlet of each retort is the distilling vessel having a space to receive fluid heating agent which is displaced from the retort or retorts by the accumulation of vapor together with the excess of vapor and residue is charged from the retort, and means to finally condense the vapor and remove the nonvolatilized residue.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of April, A. D. 1915.

HANS A. FRASCH.

Witnesses I WM. H. FINOKEL,

LILLIE M. KEELER. 

